


The Exchange

by Ramona (miss_heathen), TsundereSenpai



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Abroad, Angst, Comedy, Coming Out, Drama, Drinking, Eventual Smut, Exchange Student, Falling In Love, Fluff, Graduation, High School, Insecurity, LGBTQ, M/M, Questioning, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Secret Relationship, Self-Doubt, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:41:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29910213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_heathen/pseuds/Ramona, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsundereSenpai/pseuds/TsundereSenpai
Summary: In his senior year of high school, 18-year-old Alfred F. Jones decides to embark on an adventure of a lifetime and leave his school, country, and family behind for a semester-long trip to a prestigious school in good old England. As a foreign exchange student, what would the culture be like? Would British people like him? Would the boy with the bushiest eyebrows he had ever seen—who also happens to his roommate—like him?When Alfred envisioned his abroad trip to England, he expected some obvious nerves and excitement—just not in the physical embodiment of his host family’s son, Arthur Kirkland.An adventure of a lifetime indeed.
Relationships: America/England (Hetalia), France (Hetalia)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, thank you stopping by and taking a peek! What you'll be reading is a nearly 1 year worth of work and creation done by myself and co-creator, Ramona (miss_heathen)! This piece wouldn't have been made possible without her, so take a peek at her other works if you can!
> 
> Note: This will be set mainly in England, someplace us creators haven't had the pleasure to see or experience ourselves. Please understand we'll most likely be inaccurate with how life really is like there, along with the working of the school system. We did our best to research though! Just keep in mind this is a fanfic, so give us so leeway there haha
> 
> Enjoy!

How exactly did he get placed into this situation?

This was the exact same question Arthur asked when seated at his desk in the student council room, wondering if he had done anything differently he could have avoided everything entirely. He remembered the day well—it started off like any other typical day. All he planned to do was speak to his teacher and discuss an upcoming assignment. That had drastically changed when his teacher suddenly decided that of all times would be the best to dump his woes..

_ ”What am I going to do? It looks like one of the exchange students might not have a place to stay due to a host canceling their agreement,” his teacher sighed, glancing down at the list that held a number of exchange students' names. “I’ve already called numerous other host families asking if they could take another addition, but with it being such short notice, no one can take him in. At this rate, I might have to tell him he can’t come.” _

_ Arthur awkwardly stood in place, not knowing exactly what else to say other than to give some sympathy to his teacher’s situation. “That sounds awful. I hope everything works out and the lad can find a place to stay in the end.” _

_ “That would be great, even better if someone could show him around. Be a guide if he needs one, you know?” The teacher nodded, resting his forehead heavily in his hand while he contemplated. _

_ Arthur nodded, arranging the papers he had brought in his hands. He still had a question on number six when he thoughtlessly offered, “Well, if he manages to find his way here, I wouldn’t mind helping him around school grounds if he needed it.” _

_ His teacher’s head shot upward, scaring Arthur nearly off his feet at the speed. In his moment of fright, he stared wide-eyed at his suddenly joyful teacher and felt a sense of dread creeping down his back. _

_ “Would you? Because that would be absolutely brilliant! You’ll be the perfect person anyone could rely on,” his teacher praised, leaving Arthur in a bit of a shell-shocked. _

_ “O-of course, I wouldn’t mind at all,” Arthur agreed. After all, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t shown students around the grounds before. It went along with the responsibilities of being student council president. _

_ “Wonderful!” his teacher proclaimed, looking to have one task cleared from his tedious list. That is, until he looked to have another bright idea. “Kirkland, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe you have quite the large family. Ciarán, Dylan, and… Alistair.” Judging by the way his teacher said Alistair’s name, his brother wasn’t a star student of his in the past years. No shocker. “They’re your brothers, right?” _

_ Arthur frowned, but eventually nodded over time. He wasn’t liking the sound of this, “Yes, I have a little brother as well.” _

_ His teacher’s eyes looked to twinkle, his smile growing larger and only furthering Arthur’s anxiety. “Your brothers must have moved out for college, I presume?” _

_ “Y...es?” _

_ “And with all those boys gone, your house is bound to have some extra rooms now.” His teacher was beginning to resemble a kid loose in a candy store, unable to sit still in his seat, waiting for Arthur’s answer. “Right?” _

_ Oh. Oh no. _

_ “Um.” _

_ “Hm?” _

_ “Well.” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ The hopefulness radiating from his teacher’s eyes were making it incredibly difficult to lie, the truth slipping passed Arthur’s lips against his will. “We do.” _

_ The teacher gasped, clasping his hands tightly together in mock prayer. “Please, can you please ask your parents if it's possible they’ll be willing to host one exchange student? I’ll try to make the enrollment process to be a host as easy as possible for them, please!” _

_ Arthur wanted to refuse, he wanted to say no, but the desperation in his teacher’s voice and those pitiful eyes were hard to overlook. “I...can call them, but I can’t say they’ll accept.” _

_ “Yes, of course! All I ask is for you to ask them. I’ll accept whatever answer they give!” His teacher nodded vigorously, motioning to Arthur. “Go on and give them a ring right now, and see what they say.” _

_ “Right now?” Arthur squeaked, but it was clear his teacher wasn’t joking. He was staring at Arthur, fully expecting the other to pick up his phone at that moment and get the deed done. Arthur had no choice. “...Alright, give me a moment.” _

_ The phone rang, a fake smile plastered on his lips as his teacher watched his every move. There was nothing he had to panic about, surely his parents would say no and a crisis would be avoided. _

_ “Oh, the poor thing! Of course we’ll take him in! Tell your teacher we completely accept!” _

And that's how Arthur was found here, hunched over his desk and grueling over his troublesome life choices. He sighed at no other choice, for a full semester he would be forced to babysit a foreign exchange student from home and to school—wonderful. Frankly speaking, Arthur wasn’t quite in the mood.


	2. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred embarks on a new adventure, and Arthur struggles to cope with the fact that he’s getting a new roommate.

Alfred was soaring with happiness and nerves. Would British people like him or would they find him annoying? Well, there was no use in getting paranoid about it now, not when he had a fresh, one-way ticket to England with his name on it.

"Did you get your toothbrush?"

Here they go again. His parents’— mainly his mom’s — unnecessary pestering questions.

"Yes, mom." 

"Did you get your deodorant?”

“Yeah, mom.” 

"Did you—"

" _Mom_ ,” Alfred cut in, already knowing the drill. He zipped up his last suitcase, heading to their front door where the car was already waiting. “I got _everything_ , relax. Can we go now, please? Maybe before the semester ends.”

Alfred knew he was being a little too curt, but could you blame him? He was starting a new chapter in his life in England, a foreign country! The last thing he wanted was to miss his flight for the sake of forgetting dental floss.

His mother nipped his nose with her fingers but reluctantly sighed. “Alright, let's get going before we’re late.” She took the first step out the door but paused the very second she did, preventing her family from taking a step further.

“Did you get your underwear—”

“ _Mom!_ ”

. . .

_“Ladies and gentleman, welcome to London Heathrow Terminal five. The local time here is five hours ahead of the Washington area, and it’s now approaching...”_

The overhead announcement stirred Alfred from his peaceful sleep, the calm voice leaving him in a daze of blinking confusion until the words finally sunk in. In an instant, he ripped his window’s shade open, forcing him to use his hand as a makeshift shield for his drowsy eyes against the burning sun. But he was persistent, a smile growing wide across his cheeks at the scene below him. He was officially in England.

It was taking his first step on British soil that Alfred’s nerves picked up. It felt like a whole new world, where people spoke the same language but with a lot more random Us thrown into the spelling of words. So people actually talked like this— it wasn’t just in the movies! He stared in sheer wonder, watching crowds of people go by for flat-out 5 minutes, unable to get over the fact.

He did manage to shake himself out of it and take a crumbled, folded-up sheet of paper out from his pocket. They held a handful of instructions, along with information on who to contact just on the off chance he needed help when he arrived. It stated that in the area for those waiting for flight passengers, a chauffeur should be stationed and ready to pick him up. His host family wouldn’t be able to themselves, as much as they would have loved to, due the parents’ work schedule. The plan would be for the chauffeur to drive him to school, where they would ensure Alfred arrived in England safely before the hosts’ son would take him officially to his new home. It was an odd process, but seeing as how his host family was nearly rearranged at the last minute, Alfred shrugged it off and made his way to the waiting section.

It was just like in those fancy movies, a chauffeur dressed in his absolute best held up a sign with cursive writing, reading _Alfred F. Jones._ Damn, who would have thought applying to some obscure school in England would land him here? Just what else did he have to look forward to? The idea served to make Alfred’s nervousness change to excitement, his enthusiasm transferring into his erratic wave aimed towards his fancy, clad chauffeur.

. . .

The gold-plated engraving across the main building glinted brightly in the morning sun, proudly displaying the building as _Covington Sixth Form_. Well, “building” was more of an understatement.

“Wow..” Alfred murmured, awestruck by what he would be calling his school for the next few months. The place looked like a freaking castle kids would read about in story books, the elegant gray stones on the walls making the place look like it was transported back in time. And it was _huge_. This made his old school look small and boring in comparison. Was this really going to be his school? Seriously?

The sound of a door jolted Alfred out of his mystified daze, his head swerving to see his chauffeur had shut his door for him and had even taken out all his luggage during all his staring. He sheepishly smiled, earnestly thanking the driver for all his work before grabbing his bags and making his way into his new school. It was time for his first challenge of his abroad life: find the office in one piece.

. . .

_...tick, tick, tick…_

The tick of a nearby grandfather clock played with Arthur’s mind, making each second that ticked feel more like a minute each. He undid and redid the button of his school sleeve blazer repeatedly, shouldn’t he be here by now? How much longer was it going to take? The Brit wasn’t normally this impatient, but with his nerves set high. He just wanted this whole meeting to be done and over with.

“Excited?”

“Huh?” Arthur uttered, lifting his head to meet the smile of his headmaster.

“Are you excited about meeting the exchange student? You seem restless,” the headmaster pointed out, motioning to a fidgeting Arthur in his seat.

Arthur politely laughed, putting on a smile for the sake of appearances. “I..suppose you can say that.”

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

The muffled sound of chatter on the other side of the headmaster’s door interrupted their conversation, a knowing look appearing on the headmaster’s aged face. “Well, wait no longer. It seems he’s arrived, and just on time.”

Three loud knocks ricocheted off the polished hardwood door, the sound echoing on the decorated walls of the office. It was to be the last moment of normalcy Arthur was always familiar with. 

“Come in.”

. . .

Alfred was sure he would never get tired of the accents here. The receptionist, who vaguely reminded him of his grandma, had by far the cutest accent he had heard since stepping foot in England. Her soft voice had an instant calming effect, which he appreciated and needed for his otherwise pounding heart. He was about to meet his roommate, after all.

They conversed for a handful of seconds until the sweet woman pointed to the one door passed her desk, a door plaque shining over it with the title _Headmaster_. By some sort of miracle he had come to the right place after a good half an hour of searching, might have been nice if they gave him a map.

Nonetheless, he gave her a thankful smile and made his way to the giant door, licking his lips as he stood before it. Would his host’s son be in there or would it just be the headmaster? Both were equally unsettling, but there was nothing he could do now. He was here and there was no turning back. So he put on his bravest face and gave the door three confident knocks, waiting for a response.

 _“Come in._ ”

Surged by the moment, Alfred pushed the door open once given permission. He was quick to notice a middle-aged man, which he assumed was the headmaster, seated comfortably in his seat at the head of the large desk at the end of the room. Ahead of the headmaster were two armchairs where one looked to be currently occupied, judging by the glimpse of blonde hair peeking over the seat.

“Hey!” he greeted, giving an ecstatic wave to the two while he beamed a smile. “I’m Alfred F. Jones and I’m...I’m….”

 _‘I’m screwed.’_ The American spluttered and tried to find his words while staring at the blond-haired stranger who had finally turned and revealed himself in his seat. Damn, was he a sight for sore eyes. The peek of blond hair he previously caught a glimpse of over the chair framed the features of a soft—almost angelic face, not including a pair of impossibly bushy brows. They were some of the bushiest Alfred had ever seen, but seeing them furrowed up together—he couldn’t help but think they were the most adorable things as well. He wondered how they would feel under his fingers, under his thumb as he stroked them. Probably heaven.

But what took Alfred’s breath away the most were the stranger’s set of eyes, the vivid shade of green reminding him of leaves buried in an untouched forest. No, they were even more vivid than that. Something like.. a piece of jewelry his mom had, the uncanny resemblance of a breathtaking emerald.

“...I’m the exchange student.” Alfred strained, mentally cringing at the slight crackle his voice gave. Way to give a first impression. There was nothing he could do to stop the flood of pink from entering his face, the mystery boy was an ultimate sneak attack to his heart. Who knew a few hours in his exchange program he’ll come face and center with his exact type?

Suddenly Alfred’s heart dropped, not by dread or fear, but by great anticipation. Was this gorgeous stranger going to be part of his host family? Would he really get the chance to live with someone like this for months? Alfred didn’t know if this was either a blessing or a curse, but what he did know was he wanted an answer.

“So...” Alfred decided to go for it, he needed to know. He motioned over to the boy, nodding his head in his direction. “You are..?”

The boy looked to understand, realization filling his eyes as he lifted himself off his seat and towards Alfred. He looked to be similar in Alfred’s age but not in height, standing just a bit smaller than the American. The perfect cuddle height in his book.

“Hello, Alfred.”

Oh, God, scratch out what he said before. _This_ by far was the cutest—most beautiful, most ear-pleasing, most hypnotic, most— _best_ accent he had ever heard. He would _pay_ to have it recorded, hear it say his name said over and over again in that sweet voice.

“I’m Arthur Kirkland.” 

_‘Arthur_ . _Arthur Kirkland.’_ Alfred finally had a name, and was that name perfect. He couldn’t wait to say it, get the feel of it on his tongue, but needed to wait until Arthur was done. He still hadn’t told Alfred the important piece of information he desperately wanted to know. 

“As of today, you’ll be staying with my family and I. I’ll be there if you need me and for any type of guidance along the way.”

The smile on Alfred’s face was immediate, growing twice in size while his heart roared at the news. He was officially going to stay at Arthur’s home, meaning for the next few months, he would be just walls away from this beauty every day. His heart could hardly contain itself, much less when Arthur’s hand suddenly came into his vision, extended out between the two of them.

“I hope we can get along just fine.”

Oh, did Alfred hope that and more. Maybe, just maybe, they could be more than fine. As in.. a potential relationship? He knew it was crazy—they just met—but Alfred couldn’t deny the deep attraction he was feeling. He’d had crushes before, but none ever like this and so in the moment. 

Alfred glanced down at Arthur’s hand, using that nanosecond to choose one life choice that would unknowingly change his life forever.

He reached out his hand and wrapped it tight around Arthur’s. His skin was as soft as Alfred thought it would be, and he took the moment to relish the warmth coming from it.

“Yeah, Arthur. I’d really like that.”


End file.
